ABHIDHAMMA IN DAILY LIFE - Abhidhamma.com

throughout many world cycles. He had also saved the lives of others at the cost of his own to
fulfill the various paramis. These noble actions and perfections achieved in his past lives are the
causes and conditions to become a Buddha in this world.
6.9 b. The Results
With such noble deeds and perfections achieved, the results, by their own nature, are sure to be
good and noble. Thus in the present existence, as a Buddha, he possessed the most elegant and
graceful appearance, the highest wisdom, the greatest power, and the deepest Insight. One should
dwell on these attributes of the Buddha the result of his past meritorious deeds in detail when one
meditates Buddhanussati kammatthana.
6.9 c. Benefits Enjoyed by Sentient Beings
The noble deed done and perfections fulfilled by the Buddha brought him unique results and
finally propelled him to attain Omniscience (Sabbannuta Nana). When he became the Tathágata
, he did not rest content on his supreme achievement. For forty-five years he preached the Noble
Dhamma to all classes of people for their welfare and benefit. Even when he was about to enter
Maha parinibbána he admonished his disciple thus,
"Handa dani bhikkhave amantayami vo vaya Dhamma sankhárá, appamadena sampadetha –
Behold now, Bhikkhu, I exhort you. All conditioned and compounded things have the nature of
decay and disintegration. Strive with earnestness and mindfulness".
His teachings showed the way to escape from suffering and achieve the termination of samsara.
Thus one should meditate with profound devotion on the three good attributes in Buddha's life
namely.
• the good cause,
• the great results,
• the benefits accrued for sentient beings.
Then you will find that you developed complete faith in the Buddha; and you seek refuge in him.
• "Buddho me saranam annam natthi –
• There is no other for me apart from the Buddha."
Consequently, your devotion and faith with full comprehension in the Buddha will fructify and
flourish in your mind-continuum. This is a brief explanation on Buddhanussati bhávaná.
Development of mettá or Buddhanussati etc. in your mind-continuum is in general called
bhávaná. Either you can start with mettá bhávaná or Buddhanusssati bahavana as you think fit.
As for more serious and continuous practice of bhávaná, fuller details may be obtained from
various texts such as Visuddhi Magga.
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